Heroes on the Water (HOW) accepts gifts from Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs). This giving method offers you a flexible, tax-efficient way to support our mission to provide wellness and community to our heroes and their families through kayak fishing and the outdoors.

Please notify us of your gift so we can properly thank you. Let us know by emailing Laura Lindsey.

Whether you give annually or are looking for a way to create lasting impact, a DAF gift allows you to align your financial goals with your values — supporting resilience, peace, and healing in the lives of our heroes. 

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is like a charitable investment account that allows you to set aside money for giving. You contribute to your DAF (and may receive an immediate tax deduction), then recommend grants from your fund to nonprofits you care about—such as Heroes on the Water—over time.

When you give to Heroes on the Water through your DAF, you:

• Support Healing on the Water: Your grant directly funds outdoor therapeutic programs – kayak fishing and wellness activities – that help veterans, first responders, and their families reduce stress, heal from trauma, and reconnect.
• Simplify Your Giving: A DAF makes it easy to support HOW regularly, whether with one-time or recurring grants.
• Maximize Impact: Because contributions to your DAF can be invested for growth and capacity building, your charitable dollars may stretch further -helping even more participants experience the proven healing power of nature and water.
• Stay Flexible: You can give anonymously if you choose, or in a way that allows Heroes on the Water to keep you updated about the lives you’re changing.

• Tax efficiency: Potential immediate deduction when you put money into your DAF.
• Strategic giving: Ability to plan gifts in advance, while steadily supporting HOW programs.
• Mission alignment: Every DAF grant ensures more heroes and families find peace, connection, and community on the water.

👉 In short: A Donor Advised Fund is a simple, tax-smart tool that helps you champion the mission of Heroes on the Water and expand healing through kayak fishing and the outdoors.

INDIVIDUALS
Any individual can open a DAF account, often with a minimum contribution (sometimes as low as $5,000–$25,000 depending on the sponsoring organization).

FAMILIES
Families often use DAFs to create a multi-generational giving legacy, with children or grandchildren later serving as successor advisors.

ORGANIZATIONS & GROUPS
Corporations: Many companies open DAFs as part of their philanthropy strategy.
Foundations or trusts: Sometimes shift assets into a DAF for easier grantmaking.

• Financial institutions (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, etc.).
• Community foundations and religious organizations, which often sponsor DAFs with a local or mission-driven focus.

Your generosity powers healing, resilience and community for our veterans, active-duty military, first responders and their families. Choosing a DAF for your giving vehicle provides you with a tax-smart giving option that ensures the continuation of our mission. Please consider Heroes on the Water for your DAF giving.

• Any individual or family who already gives through a DAF can recommend Heroes on the Water as a grant recipient.
• If a donor hasn’t yet opened one, they can start through their bank, investment firm, or local foundation and then designate HOW for recurring or special gifts.

👉 Bottom line: Anyone—individuals, families, corporations, or foundations—can open a DAF through a sponsoring organization, making it one of the most flexible ways to support Heroes on the Water.

Questions? We are here to help! Contact Laura Lindsey, Development Director, via email or call 214-295-4541, ext 403) for further information.